Food tips

Veryfinecat speaks:

In case the reader ever has the crazy notion he or she should start a diet, here are my suggestions:

1. ENJOY what you eat and bless the food for it's intended nourishment, always. If you do not enjoy it then don't eat it and don't give it another thought.

2. Of what you eat, know, your body will take what it needs and discard the rest. DO NOT think 'Oh gosh, this will go straight to my thighs, hips', etc. or even worse, say it out loud. Refer to statement #1. You do not want to keep all of the food you eat, so do not assign a place for it on your body.

3. Practice eating smaller portions. In Germany we say FDH - friss die Haelfte, in English it could be translated to EOH - eat only half.

My grandfather used to say: 'When it tastes the best it's time to push away from the table'. I know, it's sort of tongue in cheek, because when does one know when it tastes the best?

4. Eat good food! The least processed, seasonal locally grown, organic food (perhaps from your own garden) should make the most amount of your meal, then you can have that occasional cake or whatever else is your fancy and enjoy it.

5. Denial of food does not work, it'll make you feel bad. Refer back to #1.

6. Do some FUN exercise. Dance while doing the laundry or the dishes. Exercise starts at home, most any movement can be beneficial, if done conscious.

7. Feel good.

Happy-ness

Mozart speaks:

It's a happy day! Most every day is a happy day, but today more than ever. It's because many people are happy. You can feel it in the air. They moved from feeling angry, scared or sad to feeling happy. The more people feel happy the happier it gets. I am dog, I know happy, I know excited. When someone is happy and excited it rubs off. I hope it stays, I hope people will stay feeling happy and not say 'alright then, that was that, let's see what this one person can do'. Everyone needs to keep up their own happy and not depend on someone else to bring it to them. Only, if everyone participates, does their part, only then can we raise happiness for all.

Winter visions of gardens

Veryfinecat speaks:

Its cold outside and little yard work is needed, but this is Florida and you know the time to crank up that smelly, noisy lawn mover is all too near.

Now is the time to change all that, shift your thoughts to a luscious array of veggies in that sunny spot of the yard, mixed in with an enchanted cottage garden of flowers. Yes, you can have your own tomatoes and eat them, too. Who says a yard has to be a boring lawn loaded with toxins to keep any other life form out? When was the last time you played croquet on that lawn? Why not do the ground work, get your hands dirty with the satisfying end result of having grown the lettuce for your salad or the greens for dinner? Depending on your yard, you might need raised beds or even just strategically place some planted containers to catch the sun. Plant marigolds with the tomatoes, it does not only look pretty, it also keeps pests away. The same is said for garlic around your roses. You can express yourself in the variety of plants you grow. The joy of tending to flowers and plants is great therapy for your self and the environment. Get your kids involved, get together with neighbors to share in the work as well as the harvest and create beautiful, nourishing spaces that feed you and the neighborhood. I envision bounties of squash and tomatoes on every doorstep this summer.

Happy new year!

Veryfinecat speaks:

It's a brilliant new day. According to the calendar it's the first day of 2009.

We slept in a bit, arose to make a rousing fire in the wood stove, a hot cup of coffee for me and yummy breakfast for everyone. Watching the birds on the bird feeder, listening to their song and then to beautiful music inside the house. Checking the email to find wonderful news and warm greetings from friends.

Everything we need is right here with us. All is well in this day.